Agricultural implement.



PATENTED APR. 2,1907.

D. s. GAPRON. AGRICULTURA -IMPLEMENT.

APPLICATION IILED NOV.17, 1906.

PATENTED APR. 2; 1907. D. s. GAPRON.

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT. APPLIOATION FILED NOV.17, 1906.

2 SHBET8SBEET 2.

DEXTER S. OAPRON, OF WOODSTOCK, VERMONT.

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

:atentea April 2, 1907.

Application filed November 17,1906. Serial No. 843,920.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DEXTER S. OAPRoN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at IVoodstock, in the county of VVindsor and State ofVermont, have invented new and useful Improvements in AgriculturalImplements, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in agricultural implements, and isdesigned to provide a simple construction of implement adapted to servethe combined function of a plow, hiller, and cultivator and which isalso useful in various other similar agricultural operations.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of anagricultural implement embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same, with parts on the near side of the beam shown invertical section. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 8 3 ofFig. 2. Fig. 4-is a sectional plan view on line i i of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a beam provided at its forwardend with a draft clevis orconnection 2 and at its rear end with astandard 3 projecting above and below the beam, the upper end of thestandard being rearwardly curved, as shown. Secured to the sides of thestandards are bracket-plates 4 of approximately T form, which are alsosecured to the beam and rigidly fasten the standard thereto. Asillustrated, the vertical cross portions 5 of the bracket-plates arebolted or otherwise fastened to the standard by bolts or otherfastenings passing therethrough, while the horizontal arms 6 of saidbrackets are similarly connected to the beam 1, said arms beingpreferably let into recesses in the sides of the beam to lie flush withthe outer surfaces thereof.

Fixed to the front of the depending por 'tion of the standard is aplow-shovel 7, to the side edges of which are hinged or pivoted, asindicated at 8, hilling blades or wings 9, which extend divergently oroutwardly and rearwardly when in working position to throw the soilloosened by the shovel laterally. To the outer rear ends of these bladesor wings are attached the outer ends of bracing-arms 10, each providedat its inner end with a row or series or apertures 11, adapted for thereception of a connecting-bolt 12,- designed to unite said arms to eachother and to a rigid bracket-arm 13, extending rearwardly from thestandard. The arm 13 is formed with a row or series of apertures 14, theapertures in the respective arms being so ar ranged as to permit of theadjustment of said arms to secure the hilling blades or wings atdifferent angles to vary their earth-throwing action, as well as to holdthem in a rearwardly folded or inoperative position, so that the shovelmay be employed without the wings. It will be apparent from thisconstruction that when the wings are folded backwardly on their hingesthe shovel may be employed for ordinary plowing and that when thewingsare arranged in working position the implement w ll be adapted for bothplowing andhilling. Handles 15 are bolted at their forward ends to thestandard below the upper curved portion thereof and are connected withthe latter by a transverse stay-rod 16.

A rock-shaft 17 is journaled in the beam in advance of the plow andprojects transversely beyond opposite sides thereof, and arranged onopposite sides of the beam and supported by the shaft are sets ofcultivatorteeth 18, each suspended from the shaft by a depending curvedspring-shank 19. The

, outer ends of the shaft are journaled in bearings 20, provided uponV-shaped braces 21, bolted at their free ends to the sides of the beam,thus firmly and securely supporting and staying the ends of the shaftfrom strain and deflection in any direction. The arms of a yoke-lever 22are fixed to the shaft on opposite sides of the beam 1 and are connectedand reinforced above the beam by transverse guide-pieces 23. The leverextends above the beam and is of proper length to enable sufficientpower to be applied to easily rock the shaft and adjust thesupportingwheels hereinafter described. Fixed to the beam so as toextend longitudinally between the arms of the lever is an arched lockingor rack plate 24, formed with receiving or keeper openings, preferablythree in number, arranged, respectively, at the center and in front andrear thereof. A rod 26 is fitted to slide in the upper end of the leverand crosspieces 23 and is provided at its upper end with anoperating-handle 27. The lower end of this rod forms a pawl or dog toengage the openings 25, and a coiled spring 28 is arranged about the rodin any suitable manner to force the same normally downward into lockingengagement with the rack, the upper end of the spring being preferablyfree from IIO connection with the rod and arranged to bear against theupper cross-piece 23, while the lower end thereof is fastened to therod, so

that the spring will exert its expansive energy l to force the roddownward.

A supporting wheel or roller 29 is arranged in advance of thecultivator-teeth and is journaled in the lower end of a carryingframe,comprising a pair of parallel bars 30, arranged to slide vertically at31 on the sides of the beamland having their upper ends rear wardlycurved and pivotally connected to the arms of the lever, as at 31. Theconstruction and arrangement of these parts is such that when the leveris thrown rearwardly to engage the dog with the rearmost opening in therack-plate the shaft will be rocked to throw',the cultivator-teeth towork at a forward angle, while the supporting wheel or roller will beelevated above the surface of the ground. When the lever is in avertical or intermediate position and the locking-dog is engaged withthe central opening in the rack, the teeth will be arranged in avertical working position and the roller brought to run upon theground-surface. When the lever is thrown forwardly and the dog engagedwith the foremost opening 25, the shaft will be rocked rearwardly toelevate and throw the cultivator-teeth out of working position, whilethe roller will be held in contact with the ground and the front portionof the beam 1 elevated on the carrierframe 30. By this means thecultivator teeth and supporting wheel or roller may be arranged foroperation to suit different conditions of service, and the wheel alonemay be maintained in contact with the groundsurface, so that by tiltingthe rear portion of the implement upwardly to raise the shovel 7 fromthe ground the device may be run upon the roller for convenienttransportation from point to point without interference from theearth-worl'ring elements.

It will be apparent to those versed in the art that an agriculturalimplement constructed in the manner described may be used for plowingand cultivating, plowing and hilling, and any combination of theseoperations, and thus will be found of manifold convenience toagriculturists.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. Anagricultural implement comprising a frame, a transverse row ofcultivator-teeth carried thereby, a ground-wheel arranged in advance ofthe cultivator-teeth, and means for simultaneously adjusting said teethand wheel to position the same for different operations.

2. An agricultural implement comprising a frame, a transverse rock-shaftjournaled thereon, a transverse row of cultivat0rteeth carried by theshaft, a ground-wheel arranged in advance of the shaft, and means forsimultaneously rocking said shaft and adjusting the wheel to positionthe teeth and wheel for different operations.

3. An agricultural implement comprising a frame, a transverse shaftjournaled thereon, a transverse row of cultivator-teeth carried by theshaft, a lever for rocking the shaft, a ground-wheel arranged in advanceof the shaft, a connection between said wheel and lever, whereby theshaft and Wheel may be simultaneously adjusted to position the wheel andteeth for different operations, and locking means for holding the leverin adjusted position.

4'. An agricultural implement comprising a frame, a transverserock-shaft journaled thereon, a transverse row of cultivator-teethcarried by said shaft, a ground-wheel arranged in advance of thecultivator-teeth, a frame carrying said wheel and vertically adjustableonthe main frame, and an ad justing-lever connected with the rock-shaftand pivoted to said carrying-frame, whereby the cultivator-teeth andwheel may be adjusted for a variety of operations.

5. An agricultural implement comprising a frame, bearing members onopposite sides of the frame, a transverse shaft journaled centrally inthe frame and terminally in said bearing members, transverse rows ofcultivator-teeth arranged on opposite sides of the frame and carried bysaid shaft, a lever for rocking the shaft, a ground-wheel arranged inadvance of the teeth, a frame carrying said wheel and slidably mountedon the frame, said frame being pivotally connected with the lever, andmeans for locking the lever in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DEXTER S. CAPRON.

Witnesses:

KARL A. PENBER, FREDERICK O. SOUTHGATE.

